Love Letters to Things Like Corn with Phoebe Fry - No. 33
And how to maintain a fierce curiosity and passion for life.
Welcome to Just Peachy! If you haven’t already, please subscribe to my newsletter to receive a monthly grin. Go ahead; I’ll wait.
What can you expect in each newsletter? Sweet stories from women and non-binary people in food. These are chefs, restauranteurs, farmers, and creatives—all with unique stories that connect us to food through intimacy, memory, and experience.
Today, I have the honor of sharing my chat with chef and food writer, Phoebe Fry. Over the last eight years Phoebe has placed her hands into millions of pots within the culinary industry and teaches us that a linear path isn’t always the answer. Starting first in school for food media, Phoebe has done it all; from line cooking, to cooking abroad, to freelance private chef-ing, recipe testing, and food writing. An inspiring and creative gem, she still dreams of trying more and learning under a long list of other outstanding chefs. Together, we discuss her clever journey to this point, and she shares some of her tips for remaining curious about not only food, but about life. A lot of these words were things I so desperately needed to hear, so please, read on and possibly grab your journal because you may not know it but you need to hear them too.
When did you first discover your love of cooking?
The air is sweet; a whiff of freshly toast walnuts, salty pancetta, and a whole head of roasted garlic lingers as the pasta reaches the table. It’s the pasta dish her mom makes, “the one that nobody else in the family really likes. It always reminds me of hanging out with her at home,” Phoebe tells me, as we talk about food growing up in Massachusetts. That, and pancakes with Vermont maple syrup. My eyes close an I can picture it, the enormous jug of maple syrup her dad leaves in the fridge for those special breakfasts.
Food memories like these remind Phoebe that she always knew she wanted to be involved with the food world. In New York City, she attended college for food media. After graduation, Phoebe went on to train at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, before returning to New York to work in restaurants. For a short period, she cooked at Cervo’s, but knew that she wanted to end up at Hart’s. After testing the waters as a line cook, she spent six months in Rome cooking with the Rome Sustainable Food Project (RSFP), a program founded by Alice Waters at the American Academy in Rome. Side note—you should take a peak at the RSFP. The work they’re doing is quite inspiring, and is based on principles of the slow food movement which originated in Italy in 1986 as a response to the growth of fast food. It emphasizes food that is grown and purchased locally, prepared with care, and consumed with appreciation. I’ve talked about it before several times on Just Peachy, in interviews with chefs in Italy, like Sara Baron-Goodman, and Katie Parla.
After returning from Rome, Phoebe worked as a freelance private chef, and a recipe tester. She was also hired for several food writing gigs before starting her current full-time role.
How did you pivot from restaurants to food writing and editing?
Phoebe currently works as a food editor for Jow, a meal planning and grocery shopping app, where she develops and produces recipes. Outside of work, she writes a weekly Substack newsletter called The Dish, possibly the most genuine, creative, and heartwarming piece of food writing I’ve found in years. Not only does she post weekly about recipes, where she’s been eating, and musings on life, but she also posts monthly menus and little extra posts she calls “Ingredient Love Letters,” which are, as they sound, posts all about how to use one ingredient. Phoebe has that kind of creative brain that won’t shut up and I can tell you one thing for certain, I hope it never does! Somehow, she also still finds time to contribute to FOUND NY and other publications as a food writer.
Big changes take a lot of courage. Pivoting SO many times without clutching onto one “ideal” in particular is no easy feat. With this in mind, I ask Phoebe for advice in exploring more of the industry and tips based on how she knew when it was right to leave restaurants, and how she found other work apart from it.
“As much as I adore the New York restaurant community and loved my time in it, I’m an early bird and struggled with working nights.” A very common problem with the industry schedule, which of course, focuses on us working during the time the rest of the world is not. And while working during that time is quite fun, it’s certainly difficult to balance with spending time with family, friends, or partners. “I could see myself returning to hospitality one day (and would love to!),” Phoebe explains, “but I’m not sure what that would look like yet.”
“My best advice for switching lanes in the food world is to reach out to people whose work you admire — you don’t have to know them! Connect with those who respond, ask thoughtful questions, and build relationships. Like many industries, food is built on connections, so putting yourself out there can pay off.”
Those she’s received responses from, have all been open and happy to chat. “Be kind, don’t expect anything in return, and always send a thank-you email/message afterward. Maybe one day, you’ll have the chance to return the favor or collaborate. Or maybe you just had a great conversation with someone doing cool work — that’s valuable, too.”
What inspires you?
Outside of the kitchen, Phoebe has one million hobbies. These include drawing, reading, writing, exercising, singing, playing guitar, walking, aaaand so on. Truthfully, it sounds like Phoebe just has a passion for life. We all need a little more of that.
Lately, Phoebe has been dreaming about starting a stationery business and sharing her doodles and penmanship through menus, greeting cards, notebooks, and more. In addition, she will continue writing as part of her career and plans to keep publishing her newsletter.
“London has been calling to me lately,” Phoebe tells me, when asked about her food specific inspiration. “So many restaurants there are nailing the radically simple, radically seasonal approach to cooking,” which is quite inspiring, especially as someone interested in the slow food movement. One example she gives is Café Deco, led by Chef Anna Tobias. I’ve never actually eaten there, but I’m a fan from afar. Just look at their Instagram — you’ll see what she means!
Best piece(s) of advice from a mentor?
Phoebe expresses that she’s been blessed with many notable mentors already and has several take aways from each.
Friend and food writing mentor, Devra Ferst, has emphasized the value of trying different roles in the food industry to see what fits. Phoebe has learned a lot (and is still learning) from exploring different avenues of food. Devra is also incredibly knowledgeable about food writing and periodically teaches a food writing class at Archestratus — definitely keep an eye out for that!
In college, she took a creative nonfiction class with Liana Finck, a New Yorker cartoonist and graphic novelist, who she credits with dramatically improving her writing. “She slashed clichés out of my writing, celebrated sentences that got straight to the point, and emphasized consistency, having us write at least 500 words every week on a prompt (in addition to larger writing assignments). That class strengthened my ability to be consistent with my creativity, a lesson that’s particularly applicable to the newsletter I write today.”
In terms of cooking, she tells me that she’s learned so much from cooking for Gillian Graham, chef-partner at Hart’s. Gill taught her not to be afraid of salt, how to brine shrimp so it tastes extra shrimpy and delicious, how to work efficiently and cleanly in the kitchen, and so much more. “I still feel like I hear her voice in my ear when I’m cooking (in the best way).”
Last meal on Earth; what and where would it be if there were no limits?
“The first thing that comes to mind is a long, leisurely lunch at my favorite restaurant in Rome, Al Pompiere, with all the people I love. I’d order the best Italian white wine, and start the meal with salty fried things like fried squash blossoms stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies and fried artichokes. Afterwards, there’d be plates and plates of pasta, like velvety carbonara and delicate lemon tagliolini, with towers of cicoria ripassata glistening with olive oil on the side. Plus! an order of the iconic crispy endive filled with anchovy goodness. And for dessert: creamy, bittersweet affogati.”
Ah! I’d love to be invited to that dinner. Thank you again, Phoebe for taking the time to talk with me and sharing a bit of your story, but mostly for sharing your curious outlook on life. I know I needed that! Interested in more of this curious take ooor just need some good recipes? Subscribe to her substack, The Dish or follow her Instagram here.